The Secret To Staying Alive Without Actually Breathing
by Voodoo-Radio
Summary: Sasuke still was short and quiet and listened to his music loud enough that Naruto could make out the lyrics even though Sasuke wore headphones. Naruto knew, just knew, that this was some intentional passive-aggressive bullshit Sasuke did to try to irritate him and start more shit. Naruto/Sasuke.


**Notes:** The first timestamp for The One Broken Thing.

**Warnings: **This is a one shot containing swearing, themes of mental illness, and sexual situations. The pairing is Naruto/Sasuke. If any of these things are likely to bother you, please think carefully before continuing to read.

* * *

**The Secret To Staying Alive Without Actually Breathing**

_a timestamp_

* * *

While Sasuke was mostly upfront nowadays, he still withdrew after their fights to 'think.' This meant that even after the person who was wrong had apologized (invariably the blond), Sasuke still was short and quiet and listened to his music loud enough that Naruto could make out the lyrics even though Sasuke wore headphones. Naruto knew, _just knew_, that this was some intentional passive-aggressive bullshit Sasuke did to try to irritate him and start _more shit_. Why Sasuke never could get over things and just accept the apology was a mystery to Naruto. By the thirteenth time Naruto heard _Broken Promises For Broken Hearts_, though, he had had enough.

"Hey," Naruto said, pulling at Sasuke's white aviator Skullcandies, "Come on, don't make that face. I brought you coffee." He offered out a mug.

Sasuke glared a bit, and asked, "Starbucks, right?"

Naruto set the cup down on the sidetable. Sasuke was on the couch, in shorts and Naruto's retarded Engrish T-shirt from Chinatown (_KIMOCHI HIGH LOW_ emblazoned the cotton), looking out of the window at the falling rain. Fuck, rainfall during the snowy winter meant that icy roads would make getting to work a bitch. Naruto groaned in his mind, lest Sasuke think it was directed at him and get pissier.

"Of course, baby."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, but paused the She Wants Revenge and set his passive-aggressive toolkit aside. He said nothing, and pulled his legs up and raised the Peppermint Mocha close to his face. Yes, it was really Starbucks. VIA packets were great.

"You know, you wouldn't have to use the derp cup if you hadn't broken the good ones."

Sasuke looked at him and frowned. "I know you're trying to make me feel better or whatever, but you always have to say something like that, something so _incredibly _stupid, and it reminds me of why we were fighting in the first place. You don't remind someone who's mad about things that'll make them mad again."

"Why were we fighting? Seriously, like, I can't even remember. I know you broke all the good cups. Which is like, your default reaction. Naruto's an idiot? Break a cup. Forget iPod en route to classes? Break a cup. Mumford & Sons aren't indies anymore and win Grammys and are played in jewelry shops? _Break a cup_."

"I will toss this in your face."

"Okay, okay. Come on, chill baby. What I really meant by the 'derp cup' comment is that I know that you're still mad at me, and I'm sorry."

"You don't even remember what we were fighting about."

"Well, yeah, but I'm sure I was insensitive or something. Come on?" Naruto tried again. "I made you Starbucks."

"No."

"Well, at least tell me what you're still upset over. I can't begin my groveling unless you tell me, okay? Remember, I'm especially slow." He grinned at Sasuke. This was how he usually resolved their dumb arguments—prostrating himself and taking as much blame as possible. He didn't seriously think he was solely at fault for, well, anything, but Sasuke was only reasonable in the best of times.

Besides, it was no trouble. Naruto liked taking care of Sasuke, even if it meant that he had to go all mental warfare at times. It was what like what all things that came with having Sasuke as a boyfriend were: worthwhile.

It took approximately twenty years for Sasuke to respond, so Naruto had no choice but to listen to the rain and dread the fucking drive the next day. Black ice, accidents, cranky-ass customers wanting their mochas and getting mad that the employees of Konoha Brews were late . . .

"It's fine."

The sound of Sasuke's voice made Naruto jump; he had gotten used to the silence. "For real?"

"Yeah."

Naruto wanted to be like _oh-em-gee what? really? why? are you sure?_, but he didn't want to ruin things. Instead he smiled and kissed Sasuke on the temple.

"It's your fault, you know." Sasuke said.

"My fault . . . that you forgive me?"

"Yeah. It's those fucking huge blue eyes."

Naruto smiled wider.

* * *

Sasuke knelt on the bed and started clearing off the scattered paperwork. He glanced at the topmost sheet in his hand.

_Saturday, February 23, 2013_

_No relapses, nothing unexplained. Appetite is normal and I sleep enough. I took your advice, and now share my schedule with my SO, Sasuke. If not for SO, I would totally forget to keep this diary._

_Everything has been fine for about 3 weeks now, as far as I can tell._

Naruto couldn't really mind taking care of Sasuke when Sasuke had to take care of Naruto as well.

"I'm your SO?" Sasuke asked.

"Hey, give me that!" Naruto did a flying leap to take the handful of papers from him. He shoved them into his backpack and then kicked the thing near the door. Then he sniffed, and scratched the back of his head. "Duh."

Sasuke looked away, but it was a failure. He was caught. "You smiled!" Naruto shouted, and jumped into the bed. He threw the blankets back in suggestion.

Sasuke got in, and looked at him, face serious and without trace of humor. "When's your next appointment?"

"Wednesday. That's the 27th."

"I'll put it on the calendar."

"'K. Thanks."

"Yeah."

They turned off the lights once Sasuke had plugged in his mobile and turned the screen towards the bedside table's top. That meant that their secret meeting could begin. In Naruto's bed, nothing they said or did was to ever be brought up again.

Yeah, Naruto wasn't going to lie—he referred to these moments as _Vegas Moments_ in his mind, after the whole _what happens here, stays here_ bullshit.

Instinctively, they both rolled closer together. Naruto slung his arm low around Sasuke's waist, and Sasuke held onto Naruto's collar.

"I like when you wear my clothes." Naruto said.

"I like how you don't do the laundry so I'll have to."

"Saaaaaaaaaasuke," Naruto rolled on top, "Saaaaaaasuke."

Sasuke opened his arms to hold the blond properly. He opened his legs to accommodate him, too. "Ha ha, what?"

"Nothing," Naruto whined, "Just . . . _Sasuke_."

"You're ridiculous."

"I knoooooow. Are you smiling again?"

"Not like you could tell if I were."

"Saaaaaasuke."

* * *

"Are you there?" Naruto sighed into Sasuke's hair.

"Yeah," Sasuke panted, "Yeah, I'm right there."

"Fuck," Naruto said.

Sasuke squeezed Naruto's shoulders and drew his eyebrows together. "Ugh—fuck!" He echoed.

"Can I?"

"Yeah," Sasuke nodded, "Yeah, yeah."

Naruto sat up and pulled out. He slid off the condom and then held his cock with one hand. He thrust the other hand in his own hair and tugged. He was delirious, shivering from the sudden cold of being apart from Sasuke.

"Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke . . ." Naruto whimpered, a hymn, "You're perfect, you're fucking perfect." Sasuke was strong and breathtaking and devastating. Naruto jacked onto Sasuke's stomach and quivering hands.

He inhaled deeply, relaxing. "What do you need, baby?"

Sasuke touched Naruto's cheeks with sticky fingers. "Your mouth," he said.

* * *

_I'm a total frickin' rock star from Mars—winning, _  
_C'mon bro, I got tiger blood—winning, _  
_You borrow my brain and you're like 'dude, can't handle it,' _  
_Win here, win there, win win everywhere._

"Naruto," Sasuke, who was lying on his stomach in their bed, called out. "Your phone's ringing."

Naruto came out of the bathroom, hair freshly gelled. He took the sucker from Sasuke and sat next to him. Sasuke hid his face in Naruto's hip. Naruto put a hand on his head.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Naruto, this is Tsunade. Have you headed out yet?"

"Not yet. Do you need me to pick up something?"

"Nope. Actually, I just wanted you to know that we're closed for the day. Road conditions and all that. So take the day off!"

"You sound pretty happy," Naruto replied, and while he was plenty pleased to have the day off, he also felt somewhat disappointed. Like, there went a whole day's worth of wages. Worse, he had used his alarm and showered and styled his hair and now had no reason to go out. Fucking waste.

"I am. I'm going to meet with a friend, so I'm excited. You remember Joe?"

"Yeah. Well have fun then." He didn't say ' apparently roads are bad enough to not work, but not bad enough to visit friends,' even though he wanted to. "See you later."

* * *

By the time Naruto was making lunch, Sasuke was cleaned and dressed and had his passive-aggressive station set up. Like usual, he had his music loud enough for Naruto to hear the lyrics when he handed him the plate.

_Your blond hair and gaping eyes, _  
_Send tingles down my nervous spine, _  
_And now the days go by, they go by oh so slow. _

_But I'm yours if you want and, _  
_I can be yours to spend your life with, _  
_I can be yours, we'll hide indoors, _  
_petrified of the world. _

_And if you'd rather stay in at night, _  
_I can relate to that, _  
_And if feels like your heart's dried up, _  
_I can relate to that, _  
_And if you need someone at your side, _  
_I'm out there, I am out there, I am out there._

Naruto never did remember what they were fighting about.

* * *

Timestamp Tracklist:

**She Wants Revenge** – Broken Promises For Broken Hearts  
**Gregory Brothers** – Winning - A Song By Charlie Sheen  
**Nightmare of You **– The Days Go By Oh So Slow  
**Passion Pit** – Eyes As Candles


End file.
